D'Artagnan, the King Maker — page 242: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A Talk Over Sword Blades. 227 “I know. It is to the right,” said Porthos, for a won- der, with sarcasm. Don Jorge smiled, but the pain of his wound marred the smile. __ “Lean on my arm, dear host,” said D’Artagnan, af- fectionately, “for the brother of the woman we love is not undear to us.” ‘Then, to himself, as they walked out of the church square like host and guests of tong standing, with Porthos stalking behind, wondering at his com- rade’s pilotage, he said: “I hope, if Donna Jacinta saw us now, she would think I was taking care of him. Her brother! Oh, these in- testine wars. Sull, it was lucky that I went out to pick up Soleiman on the cliff—those rude mariners would have lit their fire with that excellent letter of introduc- tion.” A Porthos looked moody, for hard thinking depressed im . “D’Artagnan seems to think the lady can take care of herself,” he mused. ‘Well, while I am no expert, I be- lieve I can find that house which sheltered her, and I shall, although I am not so much interested in finding her as that curmudgeon who bade me keep to the left. Who knows, as quarrels turn out in this crisscross city, but, after I shall have pulled his nose and trimmed his ears a little, he will offer me the pick of his goods. Lucky she, if that rogue plays the host to her as finely as I foresee this Count of Marianda ‘will to us! Oh, that D’Airtagnan! never should he be rich, for it is only in a needy captain’s wallet that one finds such schemes.” The count-colonel did not re-enter his dwelling by the private way, but by the grand one. Great gates of splen- did ironwork opened by a steward’s order to two stal- wart varlets, and others bowed their way in between statues to a marble portico. The building was in the shape of a letter L, the missing wing having been torn down or never completed. In the spacious gardens, partly as the Moors left it, were fountains and pretty summerhouses. One of these, for permanent living, oc- cupied a space by itself nearer the river. The cream- colored stone ‘blocks were massive, to resist the overflow- ing of the Tagus and the convulsions of the earth. CORMIE OOOKS (C(O)